Lawsuit of the 'Jungle'

THOUSAND OAKS — Out of the wild comes an untold tale . . .

It's not only "Mowgli's Story," Walt Disney's soon-to-be released "Jungle Book" video.

It's the story of Tarzan, a chimp from Thousand Oaks, and Brandon Baker, a boy from Orange County who plays Mowgli in the video.

The 12-year-old was cavorting on the set in his loincloth when he was bitten in the face by the chimp. Instead of a sequence of jungle bonding, the result was a child actor with a permanent scar on his face.

Two years later, Brandon still has not been able to land another job with as much status and prestige as his Mowgli role for Disney.

He and his family claim that the reason why is the inch-long scar Tarzan left on his left cheek, so they have filed a lawsuit against the chimp's trainers, agent and owner for damages.

"It creates a dent when he smiles," Greg Herring, the Baker family's attorney, said of Brandon's scar. "It's noticeable. And we believe it affects his career."

Defendants named in the lawsuit filed last week in Los Angeles Superior Court are Animal Actors of Hollywood, a Thousand Oaks firm that supplies animals to movie companies; and Thousand Oaks residents Cheryl Shawver, president of the company, and Hubert Wells, Tarzan's owner. Also named is Birds and Animals Unlimited, an Orange County firm that also supplies animals to movie companies, and Gary Gero, an employee.

Shawver said last week that she had nothing to do with Tarzan's hiring or training. She supplied only wolves for the video, she said.

Shawver said Wells and Tarzan have both been filming in Australia for most of the last year.

"No chimps have been around for quite a while," Shawver said.

Shawver said Gero, who could not be reached for comment, coordinated the shoot and managed contracts with Disney.

The suit filed by Brandon's mother, L. Joyce Baker, demands compensation for general damages, costs of the suit, and relief for Brandon's loss of income. It also demands money to cover future medical expenses, such as a possible skin-graft operation.

The suit claims that Tarzan's owner is liable for injuries caused by the chimpanzee. It also claims that his trainers and those on the set were negligent because they did not protect Brandon from being injured.

According to the suit, Brandon, then 12, signed a contract in 1996 with Disney-affiliated movie company Council Rock to act in the lead role of Mowgli in a video production of "The Jungle Book: Mowgli's Story." The video is scheduled for release in September.